Dan Bergen thought he was right when he raised the American flag to the top of the mast on the ferryboat that employed him as a deck hand [Advance, Sept. 30, “Combat vet sacked in flag flap”]. He was, after all, a combat veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan. He was willing to die so that flag may fly at its highest. Another flag flying equal to it was not in his training.

The flag code says that a state flag may be on a level with the Stars and Stripes. People thought that was only in Texas. That is an urban legend. The U.S. flag, however, must be on the right (the viewers’ left). Texas laws are consistent with those of other states. (See Page 8, “Flag Rules and Regulations.”

Dan made a mistake. Sometimes, captains and companies use compassion to make a worker realize they just want him to be part of their team. We hope the company and the captain can find a way to bring him back. A loyal, dedicated veteran overall can be the most loyal worker a company can want, especially those who have been through hell and back for their flag and country.